Uses for straw

OK, I work for a company that does gas work. I'm on a clean up crew, our job is to fix the holes left from when they put new gas main in. By fix I mean we take away the extra dirt, spread new top soil, seed, and blow straw on the holes to help the grass grow.

Everytime we work in the hood, I'm talking hood as in every other house burnt out or boarded up and those that aren't probably should be type hood, someone asks us if they can have some straw for their dog. So let me get this straight, it's mid august and 98 out, and you need some straw for your dog? Whatever crackhead.

What do they really want the straw for?